LCL617

City seeks public comments on future of city hall building

JEREMY C. RUARK

Lincoln County Leader

Lincoln City’s City Council members are asking for input from the

public about the future of Lincoln Square, which consist of City Hall, Driftwood Public Library, and McKay’s Market. The city invites residents and

See CITY HALL, page A7

Newport Middle School teacher honored

STAFF REPORT

Lincoln County Leader

The Lincoln County School District (LCSD) has recognized Chantelle Charpentier as the recipient of this year’s Tom Moore Memorial Award. The award honors individuals who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and dedication to students.

Chantelle Charpentier has made a lasting impact on Newport Middle School and schools throughout the west area through her service to the district’s English Language Development program,” according to a LCSD release. What began as a volunteer role quickly grew into a deep commitment to supporting multilingual learners

See TEACHER, page A7

Chantelle Charpentier receives the Tom Moore Memorial Award from Lincoln County School District’s Board Chair Peter Vince at the board’s regular business meeting in June. Charpentier was recognized for her volunteerism and dedication to students. (Courtesy photo from the LCSD)

BRNW coming to the Oregon Coast

STAFF REPORT

Lincoln County Leader

The BRNW (Bicycle Rides Northwest) Oregon 2026, the “Ride a Different Road” tour, will be coming to Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Central Coast June 20-27

The week-long, fully supported road-bike event will start and end in Corvallis, and other overnight communities include Alsea, Waldport, Lincoln City, Cloverdale and Sheridan. This format serves to spotlight multiple towns, and in keeping with the tour theme, the ride will take place on alternate and back-road routes wherever possible. according to a release from BRNW.

The Ride a Different Road tour brings more than 200 riders to these communities and the roads between them. The organization brings a mobile caterer, a shower trailer, baggage trucks, a massage and wellness team, and a crew of 35 to work each tour.

See BRNW, page A7

One of the principal goals of any BRNW tour is to show riders places they might not Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Bachart has sentenced 61-year-old Steven Brady to 80 months prison for repeatedly selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in Lincoln County in 2025, conduct which ultimately caused the death of a 67-year-old resident of Otis.

Drug dealer sentenced for causing drug overdose of woman

On June 10, 2026,

Brady pled guilty to one count of Unlawful Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance Commercial Durg Offense, one count of Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine Commercial Drug Offense, and one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide.

The Lincoln City Police Department began investigating Steven Brady in 2024, after receiving community reports that Brady was selling large quantities of

The Lincoln City Police Department began investigating Brady in 2024, after receiving community reports that Brady was selling large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Lincoln County area.

On March 3, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Brady’s residence, seizing commercial drug quantities of over 50 grams of methamphetamine, 11 grams of powdered fentanyl, and 270 counterfeit fentanyl pills. Brady was in possession of drug packaging materials and over $500 in cash. Brady admitted to law enforcement that he was selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in Lincoln County.

Despite this, Brady continued to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl in Lincoln County. Eight days after the law enforcement seized, Brady sold counterfeit fentanyl pills to a 67-year-old female resident of Otis, who overdosed after consuming the pills and was pronounced deceased on March 11, 2025. Lincoln City Police Department executed a second search warrant on Brady’s residence on March 20, 2025, seizing additional commercial quantities of methamphetamine, powdered fentanyl, and counterfeit pills, as well as $8 600 in cash.

On June 10, 2026, Brady was sentenced by Judge Bachart to 80 months in prison to be followed by 36 months of post-prison supervision. Judge Bachart stated at sentencing, “This didn’t have to happen, this was entirely preventable. But she got the drugs from you, and you are ultimately responsible for her death. I know you don’t want to accept that; that’s a hard

Local K9 to get donation of body armor

STAFF RTEPORT

Lincoln County Leader

Newport Police Department K9 Sly will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

“K9 Sly’s vest was sponsored by Sharon Parker of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and will be embroidered with the sentiment ‘“Honoring those who served and sacrificed,”’ according to Newport Police Department Lt. Tyson Haynes.

The body armor for K9 Sly is expected to be delivered within ten weeks.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009 is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.

K9

for best on-duty protection. (Courtesy from the Newport Police Department)

This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made, custom fitted, and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) certified, according to Haynes. Each vest has a value of $1 800 weighs an average of 4-5 lbs.

both private and corporate donations.

Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 6,513 vests valued at $6 9 million to K9s in all 50 states, made possible by

The program is open to U.S. dogs at least 20 months old, actively employed, and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated

Coffee with a Deputy

June 30 Join LCSO deputies for a cup of coffee and a conversation at Crooked River Coffee House, located at 146 N Gaither

a.m. Tuesday,

30 000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $1 050 will sponsor one vest. Each vest comes with a fiveyear warranty.

For more information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call 508824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts donations at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718

Street, in Siletz.

BACKGROUND

Every three months the LCSO partners with a local coffee shop in Lincoln County to provide a time, space, and coffee for community members to meet our team and share what’s on their minds.

Coffee with a cop events are a friendly and relaxed way for our communities to connect with the deputies that serve them,” according to the LCSO.

“These events offer a unique opportunity for community members to directly engage with law enforcement, ask questions, voice concerns, and build positive relationships,” a LCSO release states. “Whether you’re a regular coffee drinker or simply curious about the work of law enforcement, this is a chance to connect with our team on a personal level, learn about each other’s experiences, and share local feedback.”

a

High angle rope rescue along North Oregon Coast cliff

JEREMY C. RUARK Lincoln County Leader

rescue of a paraglider in Oceanside.

For more information, contact the LCSO at 541-265-4277

First responders rushed to the scene at 1075 Seacliff Terrace June 5 for a high angle rope

“The paraglider ran into the cliff edge and was dangling off the hill,” a release from Netarts Oceanside Fire states. Tillamook County Emergency Communications District, Tillamook 911, and U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay assisted in the rescue.

The name of the paraglider and the person’s condition were not immediately available. The Lincoln County Leader reached out to Netarts Oceanside Fire for more specific details about the incident. Our calls had not been returned as of press time.

School district announces Summer Meal Schedule

The Lincoln County School District’s Nutrition Services Department is once again offering free summer meals for all children ages 1-18 beginning June 15, 2026

Meals are available Monday through Friday at the following locations: Sam Case Elementary School 825 NE 7th Street, Newport June 15-August 20 2026

• June 15-July 31: Breakfast and packed lunch pick-up from 11:30 a.m. to noon August 3-20: Breakfast from 8-8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (served in the cafeteria) First Baptist Church of Toledo 120 NW 11th Street, Toledo June 15-August 21

Breakfast and lunch to-go pick-up from 11-11:45 a.m. Church of St. James 2490 NE Highway 101 Lincoln City June 15-August 21, 2026

• Breakfast and lunch

to-go pick-up from noon-1 p.m.

For more information, contact the Nutrition Services office at 541-336-2156. (Metro Creative Connection)

Casa DaNoble 125 Spruce Street, Waldport June 15-August 21

• Breakfast and lunch to-go pick-up from noon-12:30 p.m.

All locations are open Monday through Friday and will be closed July 3, 2026

Meals are provided free

Summer food benefits now available to many Oregon families with children

MIA MALDONADO Oregon Capital Chronicle

of charge and must be picked up during designated serving times. Each child may receive one breakfast and one lunch per day.

For more information, contact the Nutrition Services office at 541336-2156. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Lincoln County Burn Ban

The Lincoln County Fire Defense Board and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) have established a debris burn ban due to increasingly dry conditions. The ODF declared Fire Season in all of its Oregon districts effective June 15. The burn ban will be in effect through October 15 2026 Fire danger continues to increase each year, and these consistent dates allow residents to plan accordingly. Individual fire districts may adjust ban dates based on local weather and fire risk. This ban applies only to yard debris burning. This ban does NOT include (Unless fire weather conditions are present or forecasted):

• Recreational campfires

• Propane or patio fireplaces

Escaped or unattended fires can lead to fines and financial liability under: ORS 476.920

– Billing for Fire Suppression Costs. (Courtesy photo)

Charcoal barbecue grills

Check with your local fire agency for district-specific restrictions and guidance.

AGENCY CONTACTS

• North Lincoln Fire & Rescue 541-996-2233

• Depoe Bay Fire

District 541-764-2202

• East Lincoln County Fire & Rescue 541-270-1468

• City of Newport Fire Dept/Newport RFPD 541-265-9461

• Seal Rock Fire District 541-563-4441

• Central Coast Fire & Rescue 541-563-3121

• Toledo Fire Department 541-336-3311

• Siletz Fire District 541-444-2043

Yachats Fire District 541-547-3266

• Oregon Department of Forestry 541-961-9160

REMINDER

Escaped or unattended fires can lead to fines and financial liability under: ORS 476 920 – Billing for Fire Suppression Costs.

Please burn responsibly and help protect our communities.

For the third year in a row, many Oregon families with school-aged children will have access to financial assistance for their summer groceries. Oregon is one of 39 states participating in the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, or Summer EBT, offering families a one-time payment of $120 for each eligible child to be used on groceries during the summer. In 2025, at least 336,000 Oregon children received these benefits.

The state began rolling out the benefits on Friday, and families with children enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and those receiving benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy

Families program, will automatically receive an Oregon EBT card to use at grocery stores, farmers markets and convenience stores.

Other automatically eligible families include those with a child attending a qualifying Head Start program, a child in foster care, in a migrant education program, experiencing homelessness or participating in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.

Interested in Summer RBT? How to apply

Those who didn’t automatically receive Summer EBT benefits can apply online or with a paper application available on the Oregon Department of Human Services website.

New families must apply for the program by Sept.

1 Families are eligible if they have a child attending

a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, or if they meet the income requirements for free or reduced-price meals at school. The program does not use immigration status to determine eligibility, and the benefits expire four months after they show up on an EBT card.

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/summer-food-benefits-nowavailable-to-many-oregonfamilies-with-kids/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

More steps linked to healthier rest for college students

STEVE LUNDEBERG

Lincoln County Leader

Guest Article

University students who aren’t always enthused about walking across campus for class can take heart in new research that suggests lots of daily steps translates to improved mental health and better sleep.

OPEN POSITIONS

Student Health Aide

The study by scientists in the Oregon State University College of Liberal Arts was published in Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Their ongoing research also led to findings, published in Chronobiology International, that show negative mental health outcomes are more likely among college students who stay up late and sleep in late.

Each study involved more than 200 students

from two different universities.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

sleep problems are a common and damaging presence in the college student population. More than one-quarter of students, for example, experience insomnia.

Quality restorative sleep helps underpin cognitive function, mood regulation, metabolism and many other aspects of well-being, said OSU’s Jessica Dietch, assistant professor of psychological science.

“Poor sleep is detrimental to the health of college students,” said Dietch, a licensed clinical psychologist who is board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. “It has been consistently associated with increased stress and anxiety, as well as decreased academic performance.”

In the step-count project, doctoral student John Richmond Sy sought to test whether the 10 000steps recommendation had a connection with

quality sleep.

“In essence, we found that more steps are associated with sleeping earlier and sleeping better,” said Sy, now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arizona. “More steps, on average, resulted in earlier sleep timing, enhanced sleep quality and better mental health.”

The study did not, however, reveal a minimum step-count threshold for improved sleep and mental health. The scientists also didn’t find any association between step count and other sleep parameters such as total sleep time and sleep efficiency.

“Also, in future research we’d like to account for sedentariness, walking location and walking intensity,” he said.

In the Chronobiology International paper, Sy, Dietch and collaborators at OSU and the University of Arizona looked at sleep midpoint

– basically, halfway between the time you go to bed and the time you get up. If your average midpoint is 1 a.m., you’re likely a morning lark; if it’s 5 a.m., you’re probably a night owl.

“When we think about sleep, we often think about duration and quality and overlook other features of sleep like timing and regularity,” Sy said. “I was interested in whether sleep timing and variability were associated with mental health, which is particularly relevant for young adults who have the tendency to stay up late.”

On average, Sy said, a late sleep midpoint was shown to be associated with worse mental health outcomes in general, while irregularity of sleep was only associated with depression.

In addition to trying for a consistent sleep and wake time (even on weekends), Sy offers the following tips for people of all ages:

Get bright light exposure in the morning. “It helps align your circadian rhythm to the 24-hour day,” he said. “It helps wake you up in the morning and helps you fall asleep earlier in the evening and improve sleep quality.”

• Be active, which can improve both your sleep and mental health. “You might even try being active while getting your bright light exposure in the morning,” Sy said.

• Avoid alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime; try to keep that time relaxing.

• Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.

• Avoid activities unrelated to sleep or sex in your bed. “When we repeat a behavior at a certain location, we start to associate that place with that behavior and how that behavior makes us think and feel,” he said. “If we do work or homework or use our phones to doomscroll while in bed, we start to associate the bed with alertness or anxiety instead of sleepiness.”

• Don’t rely solely on your Fitbit or Apple watch’s evaluation of your sleep. “Wearables are useful to understand trends, but they are not infallible,” Sy said. “Remember, the wrist is not the brain.” Steve Lundeberg is a news and research writer at Oregon State University. He may be reached at Steve. Lundeberg@oregonstate. edu

Reported drowning at Siletz River

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputies were dispatched to a reported missing swimmer in the remote area of the Siletz River gorge, two miles upstream of Moonshine Park at Logsden, at approximately 6:33 p.m. June 13

Bystanders reported witnessing a male swimmer jumping off the rocks and having trouble returning from the river. Reported attempts to locate and rescue the swimmer were made however ultimately unsuccessful. At approximately 7:09 p.m. after having been missing for approximately

The incident occurred in the remote area of the Siletz River gorge, two miles upstream of Moonshine Park at Logsden. (Courtesy photo)

one hour, emergency personnel reported observing the swimmer in 10-12’ of water just downstream from where he was last

seen. Members of the Lane County Search and Rescue Dive Team were requested to assist with a recovery of the swimmer from a challenging location.

Just after midnight, 18-year-old Dallas Davis of Newport, OR was recovered from the river. The LCSO said the incident is being investigated as a drowning. Next of Kin have been notified.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Siletz Fire Department, Lane County Search and Rescue and Lincoln County Medical Examiners Office.

Jeremy Ruark, Opinion Page Editor

Oregon’s wildlife areas: Managed for livestock?

The science behind cattle grazing on hunter-funded lands deserves a harder look

ADAM BRONSTEIN Oregon Capital Chronicle

Every time an Oregon hunter buys a license, pays for a tag or purchases a box of ammunition, a small portion of that money goes into the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund. Since its inception in 1937, the sole purpose of that fund is to protect and improve habitat for wild game animals.

In Oregon, those dollars have helped purchase and maintain twenty Wildlife Management Areas — roughly 200 000 acres of public land set aside specifically for fish and wildlife. These lands were paid for by Oregonians, and they were created for one reason: to benefit wildlife.

So why are cattle grazing on more than half of them?

On areas including White River, Wenaha, Elkhorn, Phillip W. Schneider, and others, private ranchers hold grazing agreements that allow their cattle onto Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Areas. When you ask managers why, the answer you consistently get is something called “forage conditioning” — the idea that when cattle eat the grass down in spring, it

somehow grows back in a way that is more nutritious for elk and deer. Leave the grass alone, the argument goes, and it becomes “wolfy” and unpalatable. Graze it with cattle, they say, and you are actually doing ungulates a favor.

However, when you look carefully at the actual science behind this claim, the evidence is surprisingly thin — and in Oregon’s dry landscape, it doesn’t hold up at all.

The justification for forage conditioning in the Pacific Northwest rests heavily on a single study from 1975. That study reported that after cattle were reintroduced to a northeastern Oregon wildlife area, elk numbers eventually increased, and managers concluded the cattle were improving the grass.

That study has been cited over and over again for 50 years as proof that grazing benefits wildlife. But here is the problem: the researchers changed many things at the same time that they introduced livestock to the lands — they built new water sources, put up new fences, conducted burns, and closed the area to vehicle traffic.

Forage quality was never measured with laboratory analysis, and there was no comparison site to rule out the possibility that the elk simply responded to all those other improvements. By modern scientific standards, the study proves very little about cattle and forage quality specifically and yet, it’s the basis of current management.

Since then, studies that have used more careful methods and actually measured grass nutrition in the laboratory paint a much less convincing picture. A few studies found small improvements in protein content on grazed plots. But nearly every one of those studies also found that cattle removed enormous amounts of total grass — sometimes cutting available forage in half or more.

The studies showing the biggest forage quality improvements were almost all conducted during unusually wet years, in wetter places than most of eastern Oregon. When researchers ran the same kind of experiment in a dry, semi-arid landscape similar to most of Oregon’s wildlife areas, they found that spring cattle grazing did not improve the nutritional value of deer diets enough to make up for all the grass that was gone. In plain terms: Elk and

deer had less to eat overall, and it was no more nutritious than before. This makes sense once you understand how Oregon’s landscape actually works. In wetter climates, when you graze grass down in spring, rain drives new growth back up through the summer. That fresh regrowth is more nutritious, and grazing animals benefit. But in eastern Oregon, once the spring moisture is gone, it is usually gone for the year. The grasses finish growing and go dormant for the season. When cattle eat them down in spring, save for an usually wet summer/ fall, there is nothing left to drive regrowth. The whole theory depends on rainfall that Oregon’s semi-arid wildlife areas do not reliably have. In addition, research has shown consistently that elk and deer avoid areas where cattle are present, getting pushed off their best feeding

grounds and into steeper, drier, less productive terrain — exactly when they need good nutrition the most. Female elk and deer have the highest energetic demands when they are lactating to support newborn fawns and calves. A brand new study out of Oregon State University builds on this research showing cattle act as competitors, not facilitators, to elk — with elk consistently avoiding cattle across the growing season. Oregon’s mule deer are in trouble. Populations have been falling for years across the West, and ODFW’s own biologists have acknowledged that cattle competition is likely part of the problem. Meanwhile, the management plans justifying cattle on these wildlife areas keep pointing to that same 50-year-old study, while conducting no real monitoring to check whether the supposed benefits are

Oregon’s Sen. Wyden brings back housing affordability bill

MIA MALDONADO Oregon Capital Chronicle

Democratic members of Oregon’s congressional delegation on Thursday, June 11, announced a plan to alleviate homelessness and improve housing affordability through tax credits and construction subsidies.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, of Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, introduced the Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All, or DASH Act.

The proposal would create a new down payment tax credit for first-time homebuyers, establish a tax credit for landlords who rent to low-income people and incentivize housing construction by providing more subsidies to developers that build housing units for low- and middle-income people.

“The housing crisis deepens every year in Oregon and across the country, dimming people’s dreams of homeownership and pushing more working-class families onto the street because they can’t cover rent,” Wyden said in a statement. “We’ve got to build a lot more housing for working class and middle class families, and it costs a whole lot more money to deal with all the repercussions of rising homelessness than it

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, speaking at the annual Oregon Leadership Summit, a gathering of business leaders and public officials at the Moda Center in Portland on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (Michael Romanos / Oregon Capital Chronicle)

does to simply build the housing we need.”

There is an estimated shortage of 7 1 million affordable and available rental homes for families with extremely low incomes, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

And Oregon is tied with California for having the second highest rate in individual homeless people, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Homelessness in the Beaver State increased by 19% between 2024 and 2025, according to the report, and state

economists estimate Oregon needs to build nearly 30 000 housing units each year to emerge from its longtime housing shortage.

Wyden has introduced similar legislation in previous years, but this year’s iteration would make the first-time homebuyer tax credit available at the time of closing rather than requiring recipients to wait until tax filing to receive the down payment assistance. It also would let low- and middle-income people who sell their homes for less than their original price qualify for a tax deduction for the amount they lose on the sale for up to $100 000

“While we’re building a lot of new housing, the

new tax credit for first time buyers is an important opportunity to help a lot more people, particularly young families just starting out, achieve the American dream of homeownership,” Wyden said.

https://oregoncapitalchronicle. com/2026/06/11/oregonssen-wyden-brings-backhousing-affordability-bill/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

actually happening on the ground.

Oregonians paid for these lands and we deserve an honest answer to a simple question: are these areas being managed for elk and deer, or for cattle?

The ODFW Commission should immediately task staff with re-evaluating their management plans and take steps to eliminate cattle from our Wildlife Management Areas to provide more opportunities for hunters and allow these lands to heal from decades of harmful livestock grazing. The best available science has evolved since 1975 and management should change accordingly.

Adam Bronstein is the Oregon director for Western Watersheds Project, a nonprofit conservation group dedicated to protecting and restoring wildlife and watersheds throughout the American West. He is an avid hunter and angler, and advocates for democratic and ecologically sound management of native fish and wildlife. https://oregoncapitalchronicle. com/2026/06/08/oregons-wildlife-areas-managed-for-livestock/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Willow Buswell has earned her Masters in Nursing from OHSU and will be pursuing her PhD in the coming months. Her studies began at Oregon Coast Community College here in South Beach!

A huge Congratulations to her from her family and friends.

Susan Buswell Lincoln County

Lincoln City’s 15th Street closure

access and parking will remain open.”

Here’s what you can expect starting June 15 Crews working during the day between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with some night work.

Signed detours:

“We

Mindy McCartt said. Access to NE 15th Street from U.S. 101 in Lincoln City closed June 15, for about one week.

“We’re replacing a waterline across NE 15th Street and a fire hydrant next to a new curb ramp,” McCartt said. “This access is narrow and keeping the street closed for this work helps us complete the work faster and more safely. Business

• Northbound U.S. 101 traffic can turn right onto NE 17th Street at the traffic signal, then right onto NE Mast Avenue and continue to NE 15th Street.

• Southbound U.S. 101 traffic can turn left onto NE 14th Street at the traffic signal, then left onto NE Mast Avenue and continue to NE 15th Street.

• NE 15th Street traffic can turn left onto Mast Avenue then right onto • NE 14th Street to get to U.S. 101

Please remember, if you’re going through the area, you can expect:

• Crews working during the day or night, Monday through Thursday and Friday as needed.

• U.S. 101 nighttime single-lane as needed.

• Shoulder closures as needed.

• Delays with flaggers directing traffic as needed.

• Cones and traffic barrels blocking areas that are not open to the public.

Construction noise –using saws to cut concrete can be loud and dusty.

• Business access to remain open during construction.

Safety reminder “While you may not always see people working in a coned-off area, it doesn’t mean it’s not an active work zone,” McCartt said. “Cones close off an area that is unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles to move

through. The area will remain closed until crews are able to return, repair and reopen. Please do not move cones or park in coned-off areas.”

Check out what we’re building in and around your community

View ODOT road projects in and around your community by visiting the agency’s construction webpage. Explore the interactive map.

“Pay attention in work zones, slow down and move over – imagine

this is where you work. Always drive safely, watch for construction signs and workers,” McCartt said. “Remember that fines double in all Oregon work zones, whether workers and signs are present or not.”

From Page A1

visit otherwise, and routes and host towns are carefully chosen for their appeal.

“Our riders have told us they love riding the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast, but not on major roads with lots of traffic,” BRNW Executive Director Jim Moore said.

“So we found all the back roads we could along this general route – we’re certain our riders are all going to discover great riding they’ve never experienced.”

One of BRNW’s aims as a nonprofit is to spotlight host communities throughout the

FORESTER

From Page A8

supporting firefighters for all of my career.”

KC participated for years in the National Association of State Foresters, where she recently spent three years as president, and during that time got to know Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s Wildfire and Military Advisor Doug Grafe, and Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple, with whom she served on the forester association’s wildfire commission.

And though on average more acres burn annually in Nevada — about a million on average, compared to Oregon’s 10-year

OVERDOSE

From Page A1

truth to accept.” Judge Bachart later expressed, “The damage that your actions do to our community cannot be overstated. We have lost way too many people to fentanyl overdose. There is no

TEACHER

From Page A1

and helping students succeed both academically and personally.

“Chantelle has made a profound impact on the students, families, and staff of Newport Middle School through her extensive service and commitment to our English Language Development program,” Newport Middle School Principal Marty Perez wrote in his nomination letter of Charpentier.

Over the years, Charpentier has donated countless hours supporting students, celebrating their growth, and providing encouragement. Her dedication eventually led her to serve as a substitute bilingual tutor, helping fill staffing needs and ensuring continuity of services for multilingual

Northwest and provide them an economic boost. BRNW tours showcase the regions that make the Pacific Northwest special, attracting riders from all over the U.S. and abroad to explore the Northwest by bicycle. BRNW provides $2 000 community grants to each host community.

Covering 380 miles and 20 000+ feet of climbing in seven days, BRNW Oregon 2026 will highlight well-known valley and coastal towns while finding unique ways to ride between them.

Riders will depart camp between 7 and 8 a.m. each morning, and ride at their own speed through the day. Rest and water stops along the routes will

average of 680 000 they tend to lead to less home loss because they burn in much less densely populated areas, she said. Creating change KC said she’s currently evaluating what kinds of changes might be needed at the forestry department following the departure more than a year ago of its leader Cal Makumoto amid misconduct claims among senior leaders, and an unexpected emergency infusion of funding from the Oregon Legislature when it became clear the agency could not pay all its bills after the 2024 wildfire season. “I don’t believe in coming into an agency and making big changes before I really have an

sentence proportionate to [the family’s] loss.” The dissemination of dangerous drugs into our community is a serious and pervasive issue.

The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of all who contributed to the investigation and resolution

learners, the release states.

The Tom Moore Memorial Award is presented annually to a community member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to students. The award honors the

provide stopping points, and sup port vehicles will follow the riders each day.

“We know this volume of cycling traffic will impact local road users of local roads,” Moore said, “and we stress to our riders that every day is a shared route. We want the chance to be ambassadors for cycling – to enjoy the roads without detracting from others’ use. It’s a

Covering 380 miles and 20,000+ feet of climbing in seven days, BRNW Oregon 2026 will highlight wellknown valley and coastal towns while finding unique ways to ride between them.

(Courtesy photo)

understanding of how we operate, and so I’m spending a lot of time learning,” KC said, and acknowledged that “the increasing costs of wildfires, and being able to get that funding to be able to pay your bills on time, has been a challenge across both states.”

When it comes to paying to fight wildfires, she said she understands well the complex system of payments and reimbursements that exist between the forestry department and state, local, federal, and tribal agencies and governments and private contractors. She said her job is to balance all of that so partners have a reasonable expectation for getting paid, and to

of this case. Specifically Chief David Broderick and the Lincoln City Police Department, who have long recognized the detrimental impact of illicit drugs in our community and have dedicated already limited resources to protecting our community through proactive drug enforcement.

legacy of Tom Moore, a longtime Lincoln County School District board member, community leader, and advocate for children and families.

The award was presented during the LCSD’s June 9 regular meeting.

Pamela Parks

9/12/1947- 04/01/2026

In loving memory of Pamela Parks, who passed away on April 1, 2026. She will be remembered for her adventurous spirit, sharp wit, honesty, and unforgettable stories. She lived life boldly, always speaking her mind and bringing laughter to those around her.

In 2000, she moved to the Oregon Coast, where she enjoyed the beauty and freedom of coastal life for many years.

tour, not a race, and we encourage riders to be polite, take their time and enjoy everything along the day’s route. We welcome local residents to

meet our riders, drop by our route stops, and enjoy the energy level of an event of this size.”

Touring this region by

make sure lawmakers and budget writers understand, if not the full complexity she has to manage, the cost and timing needs and demands she is trying to meet.

When she took over in Nevada, she started building the agency’s first ever strategic plan that included policies around this, and around workplace conduct. She said she is spending a lot of time with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s strategic plan and thinking of ways to build on it, including when it comes to accountability for leaders and staff.

When it comes to the cultural issues that came to a head at the forestry department in recent years, including complaints that

CITY HALL

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should proceed with the future of Lincoln Square.

The town hall meetings are scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 and 12 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at the Lincoln City Community Center, 2150 NE Oar Place.

A presentation will be given at the town halls which shows several designs options from modernizing the current building, to replacing the building on the existing site, to replacing the

bike offers participants opportunities to engage and interact with communities in an immersive way. Event organizers work directly with local businesses and points of interest to offer tours or educational programs for riders to learn about the area, the release states. See the full routes and schedules here: https://brnw.org/ brnw-oregon-2026/ About BRNW BRNW (Bicycle Rides Northwest) is a nonprofit organization that started in 1987 as the Oregon Bicycle Ride. Our mission is to provide fully supported bicycle tours that deliver an exceptional rider experience, showcase the natural beauty of

leaders were hostile to women and to employees based on race and sexual-orientation, KC said they are not new issues for her and she takes them seriously. She described her strategy as being transparent about addressing complaints, discussing challenges with staff and enforcing accountability, especially among agency leadership, as well as training.

The biggest changes will likely occur first in her own life. She is, for the first time since college in Montana and a two-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, living away from the “little town” of Gardnerville, Nevada, where she grew up and where she saw that

building on a new site. The design option drawings were not immediately available for this report.

After the presentation, feedback from the audience will be accepted on what option would be preferred.

Whichever option is decided upon, it will require a tax levy. This levy would go to the voters on the November 2026 ballot.

“With a combined anticipated cost of $14 million for known deferred maintenance and necessary future

the Northwest, and benefit communities and businesses in the region. Each year we plan two week-long road rides, rotating among Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Montana. The first Bicycle Rides Northwest tour in 1987 took 68 cyclists from Hells Canyon, Idaho to the Oregon Coast in seven days. Thirty-eight years later, we continue to show our participants the best the rural Northwest has to offer. We also support a variety of other bicycle-related nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.brnw.org or contact Jim Moore at info@brnw.org or 503-504-2656

first wildfire 30 years ago.

“My family’s all there. I wasn’t really seeking a new career,” she said of her move to Oregon, “but I definitely saw the opportunity.”

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/06/08/ oregons-new-state-forester-gets-to-work-says-zerotolerance-for-issues-thatled-to-predecessors-ouster/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

upgrades, a decision is needed to either renovate the building or relocate City services to a new location,” Lincoln City City Communication Officer Kevin Mattias said.

The ground floor of Lincoln Square has been closed to the public for the past few months following deterioration of the parking space fire suppression system. Follow this developing story online at the Lincoln County Leader website and in the Wednesday print editions of The Leader.

Betty Jean Dasenbrock

May 11, 1937 - April 18, 2026

Betty Jean Dasenbrock passed away at home in Newport on April 18, 2026.

Betty Jean was born in Sheridan, OR on May 11, 1937 to Parents Charles Orlan and Zola Mae(Rank) Duncan. She attended Falconer Grade School and Sheridan High School. Upon Graduation, she moved to Salem and started work for the State of Oregon’s Accident and Insurance fund.

While visiting friends in Newport, she met Edward Dasenbrock and they were married three months later. When Ed started his excavation company, she became his partner and took care of the business end.

Betty Jean is survived by her two sons Scott Edward and Russell Orlan (Mary Flansberg) Dasenbrock, grandson Dylan (Megan) Conner, granddaughter Danielle (Chad) Carlson, 5 great grandchildren, sisters Joan Winsor and Karen Duncan, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Edward, and daughter Christina Connor and brothers Dick Duncan and Robert Duncan.

A Celebration of Life will take place this Saturday, June 20th at American Legion, 424 W Olive St, Newport at 1:00pm

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

A private memorial was held in Yachats, Oregon.

She is survived by her sisters, Sandie and Donna, and her four children, Michael, Laurie, Kathie and Kristie.

Susan Marie Pattison

8/14/1954-5/22/2026

Susan Marie BaleyPattison was born in the foothills of Mount Hood to George R. Baley and Sibyl J. Baley. She passed on peacefully surrounded by her husband Dan of 42 years, and her three daughters at home on May 22 2026 at the age of 71. Susan was a beautiful warrior and known for her intelligent wit. She loved the outdoors, especially beaches and rivers, and found deep joy in tending to her plants and yard. With impeccable rhythm, she

was an amazing dancer who drew others in to her world of creativity. She was a dedicated server at Mo’s for 38 years. She is well loved. She was proceeded in death by two of her brothers, Fred and Steve, her father George and mother Sibyl. Susan leaves behind three daughters, Shela Renee, Mahala, Amy, husband Dan, grandchildren Skylar, Sylas, Yarrow, Jerry, and brother ‘Ohana, as well as countless family, friends, and community members whom her vast spirit touched.

James Walter Wagner

June 23, 1934 - May 18, 2026

James Walter Wagner, 91 passed away on May 18, 2026, in Newport, Oregon.

James was born on June 23, 1934, in McMinnville, Oregon. He was the son of John Anthony and Mary (Pepper) Rebecca Wagner. James grew up in McMinnville and attended a local Catholic grade school before graduating from McMinnville High School. He went on to study engineering at Linfield University and the University of Portland.

James worked for the Farmers’ Cooperative Creamery of McMinnville, Oregon, until 1973. He then continued his career with Risberg Trucking in Newport, where he remained until retiring in 1993.

James enjoyed firearms and appreciated the discipline and responsibility that came with that interest. He found great

enjoyment in hunting and fishing. He often spent time at his brother-in-law’s cabin, especially during the summertime, enjoying the lake and being surrounded by the outdoors.

James is survived by his wife, Dolores Wagner, whom he married in 1963. He was a father to Rebecca Rosman, and her husband, Robin, and John Wagner, and his wife, Bekki; grandchildren, McKayla Wagner, Gabbi Garrison, and Kourtnie Wagner; as well as great-grandchildren, Hazel and Bently Garrison.

memorial gathering will be held at his

announced.

New state forester gets to work

ALEX BAUMHARDT Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon’s new state forester Kacey KC’s first experience with wildfire was watching flames move down the mountainside toward her childhood home in Nevada.

On a summer break from college in 1996 “literally working at the car wash,” she explained, she saw from across town a huge plume of smoke growing around her neighborhood. She called her father, who frantically explained that he’d seen the fire start a street over, and that the wind was blowing the flames straight at their house.

After racing home to help him, it also became when she learned firsthand what not to do in the event of a wildfire.

“We didn’t know at the time, I mean my dad was on the roof with the hose, putting out hotspots. I was on the deck, I was just doing what my dad told me to do,” she explained, “but it was a wind shift, really, that saved our home.”

KC has become a lot more pragmatic about fighting fire since then, but does not underestimate the power of changing winds. She is hoping

a long fire season likely to leave her overseeing some of the biggest blazes of her career, and negotiating desires and dollars between conservationists, the timber industry, ranchers, firefighters and local, state, federal and tribal governments.

Bigger responsibilities In Oregon, KC is taking over an agency with almost five times as many staff as she managed in Nevada, and with a significantly larger budget. She’s well versed in working with federal natural resource agencies — more than 80% of Nevada’s land is federally owned and managed – but will be new to overseeing a larger staterun land and forest portfolio in Oregon, where the agency depends on logging to fund its operations.

Says ‘zero tolerance’ for issues that led to predecessor’s ouster See

KC is one of few leaders in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s history with no background in timber, but she said she is used to managing the desires of industry and of conservation.

to harness that energy as the Oregon Department of Forestry’s new director, taking over after her predecessors were embroiled in accusations of financial mismanagement and workplace misconduct, including creating a hostile culture toward women. She’ll be the first woman to permanently lead the agency in its

history, and comes to the job after 24 years at Nevada’s forestry and natural resource agencies, including eight years as Nevada’s first female State Forester Firewarden.

KC said she brings with her from Nevada a “zero tolerance policy for a lot of different issues, both financially and treating people poorly.” As

she embarks on her third month on the job, she said she is still in learning mode and ensuring “everyone understands my expectations and that we are moving forward together in the right direction.”

KC sat down briefly with the Capital Chronicle to talk about her first couple months on the job, preparing for

There are about 8 5 million acres of forested land in Nevada and practically no timber industry, compared to Oregon’s more than 30 million forested acres. Although the state Forestry Department manages just 3% of that, it is the primary fire-fighting resource for 16 million acres of land across the state, including private forest and rangeland acres.

In her first few weeks she said she met with environmental organizations, timber operators, tribes, rural and rangeland fire protection associations, and said she meets at least twice a month with the directors of Oregon’s other natural resource agencies. Her work in forestry started in conservation, and she spent years managing the state’s sagebrush ecosystem program meant to protect native species and return the landscape to a more fire-resistant state. She said she sees wildlife and habitat conservation as critical to the work of a department tasked with protecting forests from drought, disease and climate change, and fighting fire.

“Any project that I’m doing for fire mitigation should be considering habitat,” she said. And though she’s never been a firefighter, she said she has “been

Dozens of new laws passed in Oregon

SHAANTH NANGUNERI

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon lawmakers passed more than 50 new laws during the legislative session earlier this year which went into effect on Friday, June 5 Many focus on codifying state and local powers to respond to President Donald Trump’s directives, as well as addressing cost-of-living issues.

Democratic leaders in both the Oregon House and Senate explained in a recent news release that the laws are intended to “shield Oregonians from the Trump administration’s brutality and to keep more money in working families’ wallets.” Among the new statutes is one that will disconnect Oregon from some federal tax cuts passed under the GOP’s 2025 federal tax and spending law, which survived a failed Republicanled referendum attempt.

“Oregon lawmakers are fighting back against Trump’s reckless and harmful actions. But that alone isn’t enough.

Oregonians are struggling,” said Rep. Willy Chotzen, D-Portland, in a statement. “They need all the relief they can get. As we gear up for the legislative session next year, Oregonians should expect this work to continue.

We’re not done.”

Many of the laws going into effect were passed under heightened pressure from progressive groups and left-leaning advocates in Salem, who urged Democrats to assert more state control against the federal government’s aggressive immigration policies, and to buffer state revenue losses from GOP tax cuts and historic cuts to social services. Republican lawmakers

slammed many of the proposals from their Democratic colleagues as provoking unnecessary conflict with the federal government, and distracting from what they said is the state’s struggle to spur more economic development, improve public safety and boost educational outcomes.

More bills responding to Trump policies and directives, however, are likely to be forthcoming during the 2027 legislation as Oregon Democrats speak out against attempts to rollback civil rights protections, undermine election integrity, and rescind or withhold clean energy grants, disaster funding and other federal aid to the state. In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the key laws that will go into effect in Oregon on Friday.

Federal response

Data safety: Senate Bill 1587 will prevent state agencies from handing information on Oregonians to data brokers who fail to attest that they will not hand that data to federal immigration enforcement agencies. It’s a watered-down version of a proposal that initially took a broader stab at private data brokers’ handling of Oregonians information, and the bill’s leading sponsor, Sen. Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, has vowed to introduce more legislation on the matter in a future session.

Hospital boundaries: Senate Bill 1570 requires Oregon hospitals to clearly define which areas of their facilities are open to the public and law enforcement, and which areas require official authorization from the hospital. The bill also makes it illegal for an employer to

retaliate against healthcare employees who distribute informational materials for immigrant rights or legal services if those come from a state agency. The measure came in response to concerns about federal agents apprehending immigrants seeking care in Oregon hospitals.

Employer retaliation: House Bill 4111 will outlaw employers from retaliating against workers who update their work authorizations, will place limits on the use of immigration status in civil court cases and add immigration status as a protected category under the state’s anti-profiling laws. Its passage followed a warning to Oregon employers last year from the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries that threats to call federal immigration authorities on employees after they raise concerns about working conditions are considered illegal retaliation.

Landlord regulation: House Bill 4123 prevents landlords from disclosing tenants’ immigration status and other personal information. If a landlord “knowingly violates” the new law, tenants whose confidential information has been disclosed could seek compensation equal to twice their monthly rent. Protected information under the law includes Social Security numbers and medical or disability records.

Labor protections: Senate Bill 1518 will require that domestic and homecare workers earn at least minimum wage, which came in response to the Trump administration’s effort last year to undo a federal rule that would ensure these employees receive such pay. Another law, House Bill 4013, ensures

Lawmakers listen as Gov. Tina Kotek delivers her State of the State address on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. Dozens of new laws passed by the Oregon Legislature earlier this year will soon go into effect. (Laura Tesler / Oregon Capital Chronicle/Pool)

Oregon’s child welfare protections are not weakened by any changes to federal child labor laws at a time when the Trump administration has been criticized for lax enforcement of those protections.

Affordability

Renter payments:

Senate Bill 1523 will ensure Oregonians who rent are not forced to make digital payments to their landlords. Instead of requiring tenants to pay via online portals, which can collect personal information and come with fees, the law requires landlords to accept payments via check or “other commercially reasonable methods.”

Fire safety for homes:

Senate Bill 1551 prevents homeowners’ associations and property documents, such as deed restrictions, from impeding owners’ who wish to make fire safety improvements to their homes, such as adding fire-proof siding and roofing, or defensible landscaping.

Housing: Senate Bill 1576 expands the powers of Oregon’s Consumer and Business Services

director to adopt rules meant to ensure fair access to housing that are more stringent than federal accessibility regulations. Another housing measure, House Bill 4082 allows Oregon cities to widen their urban growth boundaries for housing developments such as those serving older adults and for manufactured home parks.

Loaning rules: Senate Bill 1567 creates low-interest loans for mixed-income housing production in Oregon, and House Bill 4116 closes what lawmakers called “loopholes” in Oregon law that allowed some consumer lenders to charge interest rates of 100% or higher.

Ticket sales: House Bill 4024 bans people affiliated with ticket resellers, or resellers themselves, from offering tickets for an event that they do not possess. Under the law, the seller must have a written contract to obtain the ticket from an initial sale before reselling it. The law comes as many Oregonians and Americans have

complained about inflated ticket prices, or vendors selling tickets they don’t have on misleading websites.

“Oregon Democrats are fighting to make sure that powerful interests — including the Trump administration — don’t abuse Oregonians or take away their rights,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, in a statement. “That includes cracking down on predatory lending and ticket scams, protecting workers and immigrants and giving homeowners flexibility.”

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/06/05/ dozens-of-new-oregonlaws-are-set-to-go-intoeffect-this-week-heres-acloser-look/

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Explore tidepools at Fogarty Creek Recreational Area

Seven Capes Bird Alliance invites the public to explore tidepools at Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area just north of Depoe Bay from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17

Join Fawn Custer, a highly experienced environmental marine science educator, in discovering the spectacular tidepools and shorebirds of Fogarty Creek–a designated Marine Conservation Area. The rocky shore captures seawater in pools as the tide recedes, providing

habitat for a concentration of colorful sea stars, green anemones, crabs, mussels, barnacles, sponges, and fanciful sea slugs called nudibranchs. Western Gulls and Black Oystercatchers roam the

Get Ready, Stay Ready event

The Oregon Emergency Management 2 Weeks Ready Took Kit can be accessed at this link: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/Documents/B2WRComplete-Tool-Kit-EN.pdf (Courtesy photo from Oregon Emergency Management Emergency Notification)

If you’re not sure you’re prepared for a natural disaster like an earthquake, tsunami or wildfire, you’ll want to attend the free “Get Ready, Stay Ready!” event at the Gleneden Beach Community Hall from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 Guest speakers will be Samantha Buckley, Lincoln County

Emergency Manager; David Jamieson from North Lincoln County CERT; and Kathy Follett, Gleneden Beach Community Club’s emergency preparedness committee.

Free Be 2 Weeks Ready Tool Kits will be available for participants to work on their personalized disaster plans. Last

year’s participants will share their planning experiences.

There will also be free giveaways, and one lucky attendee will win a fully stocked Go-Bag. Homemade goodies will be served.

Gleneden Beach Community Hall is located at 110 Azalea St., Gleneden Beach just North of Depoe Bay.

Siletz Bay Music Festival sets 2026 program

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Siletz Bay Music Festival, an expanded 11-day celebration of chamber, jazz, and orchestral music running August 13–23 across five venues in Lincoln City and Newport.

This summer’s festival features 12 concerts performed by nearly 60 world-class artists, blending seldom-heard masterworks with beloved audience favorites.

Tickets and full program information are available at www. SiletzBayMusic.org.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mei-Ting Sun and new Executive Director Daniel Pack, the Festival will present new faces this year alongside many of the more familiar artists who have helped the series evolve over 15 seasons into the Central Oregon Coast’s premiere cultural event.

This year’s festival will include two chamber concerts in Newport and two free concerts (including a

Calling all cat lovers — Newport Parks and Recreation will host Kittypalooza, a cat-themed exposition in celebration of June being Adopt-a-Cat Month. It will be held at the Newport Recreation Center on Thursday, June 18, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

This free, family-friendly event is a one-stop celebration of all things feline. Whether you’re a lifelong cat owner or simply curious about adoption, Kittypalooza is the purrfect way to learn, shop, and connect with fellow cat enthusiasts.

Event highlights include: • Local vendors featuring unique cat-themed gifts, gear, and art.

family-friendly afternoon outdoor performance at Lincoln City’s new Schooner Creek Discovery Park stage). The festival’s orchestra, under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductor Johann Stuckenbruck, will perform in Taft High School’s newly updated performance space.

The chamber music series features seven concerts at venues including Lincoln City ‘s Cultural Center and Congregational Church and the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center’s Doerfler Theatre in Newport. A jazz concert on August 20, a gala benefit on August 21 and two orchestral concerts will conclude the festival at Taft 7-12

Thursday, August 13, 6:30 PM Reception, 7:30

PM Recital at Lincoln City Cultural Center -- Dreams of Childhood: The Musical Reflections of a New Father. Artistic Director Mei-Ting Sun opens the festival with Mozart’s “12 Variations on ‘Ah, vous dirai-je maman,’” Schumann’s “Kinderszenen,” VillaLobos’s “A prôle do bébê,” Debussy’s “Children’s Corner,” and Prokofiev’s “Sonata No. 7.”

Friday, August 14, 7:30 PM at Lincoln City Cultural Center -- Triumph Over Melancholy. Chamber Concert featuring Hindemith’s “String Trio No. 2,” Beethoven’s “Quartet in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4,” and Reinecke’s “Piano Quintet in A major.”

Saturday, August 15, 7:30 PM at Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, Newport

– Romance at the Bay. A Sonatabend, (an evening of sonatas), featuring Bowen’s “Sonata No. 1,” Fauré’s “Violin Sonata,” and Rachmaninoff’s “Cello Sonata.”

Sunday, August 16, 4:30 PM at Lincoln City Cultural Center –Musical Tapas. A program of “small plates” -- tasty music and delicious hors d’oeuvres featuring Festival Chamber Musicians plus a few surprises.

Monday, August 17, 7:30 PM at Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, Newport — Coastal Crosswinds. Chamber Concert with works by Rozsa, Bloch, Bernstein, Beethoven, and Milhaud, including Bernstein’s “Clarinet Sonata” and Bloch’s “Suite Hébraïque.”

Tuesday, August 18, 7:30 PM at Lincoln City Congregational Church – A Musical Gift. FREE Chamber Concert featuring Ravel’s “Chansons Madagascasses,” Ives’s “String Quartet No. 1,” Muczynski’s “Sonata,” and Brahms’s “Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 111.”

and Mendelssohn’s celebrated “Octet.”

Thursday, August 20, 7:30 PM at Lincoln City Cultural Center Welcome to the Club. The festival’s annual jazz gala will mark the centennial of the births of two of the 20th century’s greatest musicians, jazz legends Miles Davis and John Coltrane, with performances by an ensemble led by Portland-based trumpeter Noah Simpson.

Friday, August 21, 6:30 PM at Lincoln City Cultural Center — Annual Benefit Concert and Award Ceremony featuring R&B/dance band Soul Proprietors.

Saturday, August 22, 2:30 PM at Schooner Creek Discovery Park – Free Family Concert. Francis Poulenc’s “The Story of Babar the Little Elephant” arranged for wind quintet and narrator. Johann Stuckenbruck conducts.

Musical Offering,” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 8.”

Sunday, August 23, 4:00 PM at Taft 7 12

School— Sounds of America. The season closes with Bernstein’s “Overture to Candide,” Dohnányi’s “Variations on a Nursery Song, Op. 25,” Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s “Chokfi,” and Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait,” featuring narration by Newport Symphony Executive Director Dan Howard. All programs are subject to change. Tickets are available now at www. SiletzBayMusic.org.

all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Wednesday, August 19, 7:30 PM at Lincoln City Congregational Church Sweet and Spicy. Chamber Concert with Shulamit Ran’s “Mirage,” Brahms’s “Piano Trio in C minor,” Brahms songs,

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• A special talk by a local veterinarian on feline behavior and wellness.

Saturday, August 22, 6:15 PM at Taft 7-12 School — Pre-concert talk with conductor Johann Stuckenbruck and Artistic Director Mei-Ting Sun. 7:30 PM at Taft 7 –12 School -- A Night at the Symphony. Orchestra concert featuring Webern/Freisitzer’s “Im Sommerwind,” Wagner/ Mottl’s “Five Wesendonck Lieder,” Bach/Webern’s “Ricercar” from “The

Presentations by Lincoln County Animal Shelter and Central Coast Humane Society on their programs. Meet-and-greet opportunities with adoptable cats (pending availability). • Resources on

Discount packages for multiple events are available, as well as student pricing for all concerts except Musical Tapas and the Benefit Concert. The Congregational Church concert on August 18 and the outdoor family performance at Schooner Creek Discovery Park are free and open to the public.

Siletz Bay Music Festival was founded to bring multi-genre, worldclass music performed by outstanding musicians to the Central Oregon Coast, reaching across race, culture, age, and socioeconomic barriers to provide extraordinary musical and educational experiences. The festival is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation;

responsible pet ownership and cat care, including fostering and spay and neuter programs.

Support these Local Nonprofit Community Organizations!

Siletz Bay Music Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust, investing in Oregon’s arts, humanities and heritage, and the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition. Other funding organizations include generous grants from the Autzen Foundation, the Marie Lamfrom Foundation, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Pacific Power Foundation, the Roundhouse Foundation, the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, the Oregon Arts Commission, the Yoga Heals Fund, and Cherrie and Sam Scheinberg through the Oregon Community Foundation. Sponsors include Edward Jones – Wendy C. Wilson, Financial Advisor, Music is Instrumental, Oregon Coast Bank, Classic Pianos – Portland and Lincoln City Gifts. Community partners include Explore Lincoln City, Taft K – 12 School, Lincoln City Cultural Center and Lincoln City Parks & Recreation. Media sponsor is Oregon Coast Today.

Siletz Bay Music Festival is a 501(c)(3) notfor-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

“Kittypalooza is not just a celebration, it’s a chance to support local animals, meet adoptable cats, and connect with the amazing people and organizations that make our pet community thrive,” said Jenni Remillard, recreation program specialist. Whether you’re looking to adopt, learn how to better care for your cats, or just enjoy some furry fun, Kittypalooza welcomes all ages and levels of cat obsession. Children must be supervised by an adult. For updates and additional event information, visit https:// www.facebook.com/ events/1001992315464654 or contact j.remillard@ newportoregon.gov

tidepools looking for a tasty treat. All Seven Capes Bird Alliance outings are free, family-friendly, and easy to moderately easy. Extreme low tides promise excellent exploration, but wear rubber boots or water shoes to wade in. Dress for the weather; we go rain or shine. Dogs are not allowed.

Annual Waldport Public Library Pollinator Day

The 4th Annual Waldport Public Library Pollinator Day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the Seashore Joy Garden.

The community garden is located on Highway 34, in the middle of Waldport, near the fire station, fields, and playground.

This event is free for all ages and open to the public. The exception is the pollinator-friendly vendor tables.

The Waldport Library is partnering with many presenters and organizations, including Central Coast Fire & Rescue, to offer a wonderful day of fun and learning related to those most important creatures: the pollinators!

There will be experts, conservations, managers, authors, and presenters in gardening, beekeeping, pollinators, the Oregon Bee Atlas, local wildlife and nature research,

The Waldport Library is partnering with many presenters and organizations, including Central Coast Fire & Rescue, to offer a wonderful day of fun and learning related to those most important creatures: the pollinators! (Courtesy photo)

anti-herbicide, climate and environmental concerns, honey making (including honey tasting), STEM, and the agencies working in our area to help the threatened subspecies Oregon Silverspot Butterfly, and Bird Alliance information from the Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary.

At the center of the fun, and the stars of the day, will be the bees in an observation hive.

Waldport Library Garden

Club volunteers will be on hand to give tours of the Seashore Joy Garden, including the Waldport Library Family Learning Garden, the Memorial Garden, and the Food Giveaway. The Seashore Joy Garden was founded in 2015 by Senitila McKinley and the Seashore Literacy Center volunteers.

Several originators of the garden continue to participate in keeping the tradition of learning,

Oregon Dunes DAR Chapter sweeps State and Division Awards

The Oregon Dunes Chapter is proud to announce that their three nominees for the 2025 National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Service for Veterans Committee awards have been selected as the Oregon and Northwestern Division winners.

The nominees have been recognized at the 111th Oregon State Society Daughters of the American Revolution convention held in Wilsonville. The NSDAR President General, Mrs. Ginnie Sebastian Storage, was in attendance for the gala banquet celebration.

The Outstanding DAR Service for Veterans, Jacquie Beveridge, resides in Florence.

As a retired law enforcement officer and military brat, Jacquie has a distinguished list of accomplishments and awards. She has served on many local, state, and national committees involving military and veterans.

Beveridge is a powerhouse and serves our veterans, military families and Coasties with compassion, love, and encouragement. She has spent over 500 hours volunteering this year. She assisted with a directory of the names on the Veterans Memorial Wall, coordinated Mail Call for the South Willamette Honor Flights, assisted with the Vietnam Veterans Day Bar-b-Que, collected

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game was his favorite part, the whole weekend was special.

“I got to represent my Tribe, which is who I do everything for. So it was great,” Bokuro said.

“The game, even though I started cramping up at the end, it’s still a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Bokuro is attending the University of Redlands in California to continue his basketball career.

He’s excited about the next steps, but he always

As the Northwestern Division winners, the names of the three local nominees have been forwarded to be judged at the National level. Those that are selected will be honored at the 135th Continental Congress in July. (Courtesy photo)

items for the Roseburg and Portland VA hospitals, and sent donations to active duty deployed members.

The Outstanding Youth Volunteer, Thomas Gentry, is a sophomore at Siuslaw High School. His parents, Justin and Cindy Gentry, are raising an extraordinary young man with remarkable maturity and patriotism.

From an early age, he has been dedicated to helping others and continuing his family’s legacy of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. He serves as a Naval Sea Cadets Corps leader and his overall goal is to become a Blackhawk pilot in the United States Army.

The 2025 DAR Outstanding Veteran Volunteer award is presented to a veteran in recognition of outstanding achievement in personal, professional and family life is Andrea Summerlin from Seal Rock. Summerlin is a retired Air Force Medical Administrator and serves as a Counselor at Angell

represents his community when he puts on the jersey.

“What I’ve done, and the people that have helped me, it’s a lot bigger than just myself, so I’m always going to have my community on my back and keep going for them,” Bokuro said.

When the game ended and the weekend was all but over, Sweet went out to lunch with his wife Cecelia De Anda and his daughter. As they ate lunch, Sweet recapped the whole weekend, reliving every glorious moment.

“The coolest thing was the high for all the staff

feeding, and giving going. The Oregon STEM Hub will bring their Bee Bots. Non-profit groups such as the Friends of the Waldport Library, Seashore Family Literacy, Waldport Library Garden Club, Angell Job Corp, Altrusa of Yaquina Bay, Seal Rock Garden Club, Hwy 101 Pollinator Project, Lincoln County and OSU Master Gardeners, Curiosities (3D pollinators) will be giving away information,

TLC

Job Corps in Yachats.

As the first woman to lead the nearly 12,000-member Department of Oregon Veterans of Foreign Wars she underscored that leadership is not about recognition, it is about responsibility and integrity. Summerlin embraces the motto of “Still Serving” with a genuine heart as she serves on the Habitat for Humanity Board, is the Oregon Coast Veterans Association Vice President, the Oregon VFW Women Veteran Committee Chair, and a Seal Rock Rural Fire Protection District Board Member.

As the Northwestern Division winners, the names of the three local nominees have been forwarded to be judged at the National level. Those that are selected will be honored at the 135th Continental Congress in July as 4,000 DAR members and guests gather in DAR Constitution Hall, part of the DAR Headquarters complex in Washington, D.C.

and the players. It hung on for about two weeks after, just because of how amazing the event went through,” Sweet said. While Sweet is still basking in the glow of a successful event, it looks like this may be an annual tradition. Next year’s All-Star Series is already taking shape, though still in the very early planning stage.

Being part of what will hopefully become a longstanding tradition means the world to Sweet, especially when he looks back on all that was accomplishedby “just a kid from Siletz.”

plants, hidden surprises, book giveaways, or hosting pollinator-related crafts, and cookie decorating. Anna Biszantz, local educator and fiber arts professional, will lead a dye plant workshop.

There will also be face painting. Seashore Literacy Ukulele Group & Singers (S.L.U.G.S) will play and sing for a portion of the day at the gazebo, with more musicians to follow.

Supports

TLC is helping children save money and save homeless animals with its Cash Club Cares Program.

For every new member aged 18 or under who signs up for a Cash Club or Student Savings account, TLC donates five dollars to the Humane Society or animal shelter nearest the location where the account was opened, up to $5 000 total per year.

TLC has donated $431 to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter to support the

Pollinator-friendly vendors will be available with wonderful original art, photography, fused glass, soaps, and honey. There is no electricity in the garden, so bring cash if possible.

Since the Seashore Joy Garden grows food for the community as well as pollinator plants, the gardeners ask that everyone leave their pets at home for the day.

Several different posters were printed for this year’s event because many youth and adult artists were asked to bring in their original artwork. Their work is currently on display at the Waldport Public Library and will also be on display at Pollinator Day. The Waldport Chamber of Commerce is helping to promote this event. For more information, contact Waldport Public Library, 541 563-5880, waldportlibrary.org.

Animal Shelters

housing and care of homeless animals.

Since the Cash Club Cares Program began in 2017, TLC has donated $43,321 to animal shelters in Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop, Columbia, and Cowlitz Counties, including $3,474 to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter. The credit union plans to continue this partnership with animal shelters and encourage community involvement within its service areas. TLC is a Division of Fibre Federal Credit Union.

SHERIFF’S TIP OF THE WEEK

Pet Safety on the Road

LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Drivers and passengers alike know the importance of wearing their seatbelt when riding in a vehicle.

Next time you take your pet with you, make sure they are just as safe. Many dog owners let their dog run loose in an open truck bed, not thinking about the dangers. No matter how well-trained or coordinated your dog is, they can still fall or jump out of the back of a truck.

Oregon law requires a dog to be protected by a carrier or other restraint if transported on “the external part of a vehicle” on a highway.A

carrier or cage is most ideal, but if you use a leash or lead, make sure it is of a length that doesn’t allow the dog to go over the side. A two-point restraint works best to ensure the animal can’t jump or be thrown in the event of a sudden stop or collision.

If your pet travels inside the vehicle with you, remember that driving with any animal on your lap presents a distraction and puts the pet, driver, passengers, and other motorists at significant risk for a collision; a collision that would otherwise be preventable.

There are numerous pet-specific vehicle restraints that work with your existing seatbelts and can be purchased either online or in pet stores. Remember to keep your pet’s collar

with ID tags on during the trip and keep their license updated. An updated license (required for dogs, recommended for cats) and current contact information can help reunite you sooner if there is a collision or your pet gets separated from you another way. In addition to ensuring your pets are properly secured for the journey, remember to pack emergency supplies. Packing essentials such as extra food and water can make a big difference if you are stuck in traffic or inclement weather. Our pets love to be on the go with us. Show them how much you care by always considering their safety when you take them on the road. For more information and tips visit www.lincolncountysheriff.net

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Dream to Reality: Inside the first Native American All-Star Series

WILL LOHRE Lincoln County Leader

The gym was abuzz. History was being made. Tip-off for the first-ever Native American All-Star Series games was just moments away at the Nike World Headquarters.

Student-athletes representing tribes from across Oregon prepared to compete in a game that was the first of its kind, but it was also the culmination of a weekend full of significant moments.

But the event never would have happened without considerable thought and planning.

About a year before the tip-off of the showcase matchups on May 3, the idea for the Native American All-Star Series was born, and it took a lot of work in those months to make it happen.

MAKING THE MOMENT

It all started with a conversation.

Fresh off being named Jr. NBA Community Coach of the Year for the state of Oregon, Jeff Sweet was speaking to Stacy Parrish of the Oregon Department of Education at the Tribal Attendance Promising Practices (TAPP) symposium in May of 2025 Parrish oversees the TAPP program for the Oregon Department of Education, and in light of the award Sweet had just received, she congratulated him, and they started talking basketball.

“She’s a Klamath tribal member, but she played in a tribal all-star game in Oklahoma. And she asked, ‘Why doesn’t Oregon have anything like this?’ and I was kinda like, ‘I don’t know, why don’t we? That would be cool!’” Sweet recalled.

With the seed of an idea planted, Sweet decided to go to the drawing board to figure out what it might look like.

A member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and a lifelong resident of Lincoln County, Sweet has made it his mission to create opportunities for tribal youth. Sweet is an Education Specialist for the Tribe, and he’s been coaching in the area since he graduated high school in 2013, founding the Lincoln County Legends basketball program on the Siletz reservation.

As he developed the idea, he decided he wanted this event to be unique; he wanted it to be more than “just a game.”

“I was like, how do we make ours different? How can we add an educational piece to give our tribal athletes a blueprint if they want to obtain a degree or go to school, and let them know that all the supports are there? And then, how do we do it culturally involved and get all nine tribes on board?” Sweet said. “Because other than government-to-government, and The 9 Tribes Prevention Camp, there›s not something where all nine federally recognized tribes come together. I think that this is where we›re uplifting our tribal youth; this is something we can all come together on, because we all have the same goal.»

Sweet started reaching out to each Tribe. He led with the educational component and his desire for

the game not to be just an exhibition. The other crucial point of emphasis was involving each of the tribes so there was a sense of “home” and belonging.

Sweet got down to the “grit and grind of it.” He started sending emails and reaching out to some of his connections. Sweet reached out to Jalen Lowery, a Youth Basketball Assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers. Lowery and the Blazers bought in quickly, and it wasn’t long before the nine tribes also affirmed their interest.

While it was the first time he had tried to organize something like this, Sweet felt like he had “a vision for something like this his whole life.” With that vision in mind, things progressed quickly.

“I’ve always wanted to do something that recognizes our tribal athletes in the best way. Because even for myself, when I was in high school going to all of these all-star games, I was the only tribal member there. So even at that moment, knowing that we are missing,” Sweet said. “I think having a lifetime of planning and thought going into it already made the process go quick. It was truly like a downhill boulder after that!”

Sweet created an agenda for the weekend by combining ideas from events that he likes. He said he took those “little pieces to create something that doesn’t seem packed and thrown in, but is meaningful and intentional.”

Through his hard work and collaboration, Sweet secured partnerships for the series with all 9 federally recognized tribes, the Portland Trail Blazers, Nike, Nike N7, Oregon Department of Education, and We R Native. The series would be set at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton.

The coaching staffs of the four All-Star teams each brought their own skill sets and stories to the table. Many of them were tribe members, representing tribes from across the state.

“Each coach having their own story and knowing what the mission was going into it, they helped in so many different ways: transitioning the teams to the nightly events, or after practice going to media day or higher education day. The flow of the schedule went so easy,” Sweet said.

with check-in at the Nike campus on May 1. Just arriving and seeing the headquarters was awesome for so many players who wouldn’t normally have that opportunity.

“We don’t get to go there. It’s open, but we’re not able to go there, and for the event to actually be for our tribal members, them going there, knowing they’d be recognized there, was just awesome in and of itself,” Sweet said.

The nine tribes consisted of Burns Paiute Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and Klamath Tribes. Sweet said it was all the tribes’ involvement that helped spur the event into reality.

The weekend kicked off with a career panel hosted by Oregon Department of Education Stacy Parrish and Lincoln County School District staff Crystal Taylor. The panel included Nike N7 Director Izzy Yasana-Hawley, legendary Umatilla basketball player Jude Schimmel, Sophie Bronson, Lynden Harry, Tommy Ghost Dog, KJ Maduike, and Kylie Acoba.

“The panelists were amazing,” Sweet said. “The discussion was ‘lifelong growth.’ In the tribal community, we always talk about that. No matter where your compass takes you, you can veer it a different way, it’s all about choices and what you wanna do.”

Next up was a We R Native icebreaker for the newly formed four teams, followed by a Blazers skill training camp. There were 14 Blazer trainers to 32 athletes, so there was plenty of solo feedback and growth to go around. It was the perfect mood-setter for the weekend.

At dinner that night, Sweet and the tribal partners gifted Siletz Tribal Pendleton blankets to the people with Nike N7, the Portland Trail Blazers, We R Native, and the Oregon Department of Education who helped make the event possible. The Blanket Ceremony was a total surprise.

“Everybody who was deeply involved; our tribes

came up, and we blanketed them and honored them with the Honor Song during dinner,” Sweet said. “Keeping that from them was cool, because they were shocked.”

One player was FaceTiming his father and stated, “Dad I wish you could see this, it’s amazing.” It was a moment that made Sweet emotional as he recalled it.

After dinner, it was off to the Tualatin Hills Athletic Center for an icebreaker 3-point and Hot Shot competition hosted by We R Native. It was a lot of laughs and fun to end what was setting up to be a special weekend.

The second day started with a Nike-provided breakfast on the campus at the Coach K Gym. Practices and media sessions followed. Each team had two practices on Saturday, allowing the coaches to get to know their players and form team identities. Practices were “upbeat, fast-paced” and were played with game-like intensity.

The team names were created based on the traditional tribal homelands or values. Sweet explained each name and their significance: nii~-li~ “River”, River holds a profound spiritual, cultural, and sustenance-based connection to our rivers, viewing them as essential for life, growth, fishing, and sustenance. River provides resources like Salmon, Eels andceremonies.

nn-‘ee “Land”, we have distinct, Deep, Ancestral connections to our Land which serve as the foundation of our Cultural and spiritual identity. Land provides traditional Foods, resources for ceremony, and tangible link to ancestors.

yaa-me “Sky”, Sky has acted as a second landscape, calendar, map, and a source of spiritual guidance, connecting us to our ancestors and guiding our traditional lifestyle.

nan-ts’vn “Mountain”, Mountains served as pillars of our Culture, livelihood, and spiritual life. Mountains provide crucial resources for hunting, gathering, and fishing, as well as holding sacred value as places of power, traditional gathering, and ancestral stories.

While the other two teams practiced, the other two squads went to a media day event with Brynna Jay.

“She’s our local photographer. That was the thing about this event, too.

All-State honors. Sweet coached Bokuro since second grade, and seeing him honored in the ceremony was a full-circle moment. Bokuro even helped Sweet with some of the work that went into putting the event on.

Sweet gave a speech at the ceremony, and addressing the group was an emotional experience.

“Even talking about it beforehand, I would get emotional, because I know how we didn’t have that and how I wanted it for this class. Like with Aaidyn, I coached him since second grade, so since he was six years old, I’ve coached him every single step,” Sweet said. “So, just trying to develop it in the right way with emotions behind it.”

We pulled in our community,” Sweet said. “We really kept it to the tribal communities coming into to build it too, along with Nike and the Blazers.”

The players “went crazy” for the media sessions, and Jay had an “amazing setup,” and players took pictures with their tribal flags, teammates, and even other tribal members even though they were on different rosters.

After lunch, Higher Education Day followed. Players took part in a session that provided information on scholarship opportunities, grants, and tribal programs provided through Higher Education Coordinating Commission and the University of Oregon.

“Education is so important for ALL 9 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, and we all want to provide the blueprint for our Tribal Athletes to succeed and know that as Native people, we want to see all succeed,” Sweet said. “Players stated, ‘I did not even know this was an option for me, and now I know what is offered for me to actually go to college.’”

On Saturday night, one of Sweet’s favorite moments of the magical weekend played out.

The Senior Recognition Ceremony and dinner were hosted at Union/Pine in Portland. Sweet was blown away by how special the Blazers made the venue, adorning the venue with red, gold, and black decorations.

The event recognized 11 seniors from different tribes. They were gifted a Necklace from We R Native, a cedar plaque from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and the group shared a meal and an Honor Song to celebrate their academic achievement.

“It was so wholesome. Parents coming, seniors were allowed a plus-two so they could invite another [family member]. They got honored in so many different ways, and then we sat down and shared a meal,” Sweet said. “That night was my favorite of the whole event, even over the game.”

One of the seniors honored during the ceremony was Aaidyn Bokuro. Bokuro is a member of the Siletz Tribe who recently wrapped up his senior year at Newport High School. On the court, he was phenomenal for the Cubs, earning OSAA’s 4A Player of the Year and First Team

And after Sweet honored the partners who made it possible with the Blanket Ceremony on the first night, they repaid the favor. Jalen Lowery and the Blazers recognized him and gave him gifts to commemorate his work. It was an emotional moment, and it was the perfect segue into the final day.

GAME DAY Like so much about the weekend, Sweet wanted the opening ceremony to be different.

“We had each Tribe’s flags represented. So, the players from Warm Springs, they had one flag person who would carry it out, and the other players and coaches would follow. And it was the same for the Grand Ronde flag, and the Umatilla Flag, and the Siletz Flag,” Sweet said. “So the opening ceremony when we came in, it was a standing ovation, we did the Honor Song.”

Sweet said that the players were so proud to bring their flags before them on Nike campus. After the walkout, the flags were posted on the wall and remained there throughout the two games.

Both games were played with intensity and spirit. In the girls game, it was tight throughout, both teams fighting to show what they could do. In the end, it was yaa-me who pulled it out, powered by back-to-backto-back threes from one of the seniors.

In the boys game, Sweet’s nii~-li~ squad wasn’t able to pull it out. As he has for many years, Sweet had Bokuro on his team, and Bokuro looked like the 4A Player of the Year in the game. Until he went down with some cramps in the third, unfortunately. After the game, Sweet said Bokuro apologized to him for not pulling out the win. Sweet responded, “This was a win for the tribal community.”

Following the games, the Portland Trail Blazers presented awards to all tourney teams: 5 boys and 5 girls. The winning team received a large trophy with a plaque. For Bokuro and the players, the weekend was an amazing opportunity. Playing on the Nike campus fulfilled a lifelong dream, and representing their tribes was a priceless experience. Getting to make connections with different tribe members, people at Nike, and the Trail Blazers was something he won’t forget. While the